Mechanism for applying identifying markings to wound bobbins



J. R. ANDREWS, JR MECHANISM FOR APPLYING IDENTIFYING MARKINGS TO WOUNDBOBBINS Aug. 28, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1947 INVENTOR. JOHN RAN DREW5,J R.

Aug. 28, 1951 J. R. ANDREWS, JR 2,565,642

MECHANISM FOR APPLYING IDENTIFYING MARKINGS TO WOUND BOBBINS 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1947 INVENTOR. JOHN RAN DREWSMR.

Z AT NS.

Aug. 28, 1951 J. R. ANDREWS, JR 2,565,642

MECHANISM FOR APPLYING IDENTIFYING MARKINGS TO WOUND BOBBINS Filed June10, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOHN R.ANDREWS,JR.

AT OEJVE Y8- Aug. 28, 1951 ANDREWS, JR 2,565,642

J. MECHANISM FOR APPLYING IDENTIFYING MARKINGS TO WOUND BOBBINS FiledJune lO, l947 5 SheetsSheet 4 4o l L INVENTOR.

' 43 JOHN R.ANDREWS,JR.

BY M

Aug. 28, 1951 J. R. ANDREWS, JR

MECHANISM FOR APPLYING IDENTI MARKINGS TO WOUND BOBBIN 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed June 10, 1947 INVENTOR.

J OH N RAN DREWS, J R- BY y TM ATZCORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 28, 1951 MECHANISM FOR APPLYING IDENTIFYING MARKINGS TOWOUND ROBBINS John R. Andrews, J12, Uxbridge, Mass., assignor toUxbridge Worsted Co., Inc., Uxbridge, Mass, a corporation ofMassachusetts Application June 10, 1947, Serial No. 753,613

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a marking machine and more specifically to adevice for applying an identifying chalk mark to a bobbin or spindlewound with yarn or similar thread-like material which is employed inconnection with textile machinery such as looms, knitting machines, etc.

For example, in the textile weaving art a mill may be dealing with alarge variet of yarns which, upon casual inspection, are practicallyindistinguishable from one another. These yarns are wound on bobbins bywinding machinery and often the wound bobbins closely resemble oneanother. This presents an identification problem because it is importantthat the bobbins carrying a given yarn be readily separable anddistinguishable from all other bobbins. In the past, the bobbins havebeen taken to a marking table where workers applied colored chalk marksand the like to the bobbins, to act as indicia and to insure properclassification thereof. Since a large number of bobbins are employed ina mill, it has required services of a considerable number of people tomark the bobbins and maintain them in order, which materially adds tothe cost of weaving "the fabric. In order to solve these problems, ithas been proposed to pass the bobbin over one or more colored pieces ofsolid chalk as they leave the winder, but the chalk soon wears andlight, uneven marks are produced. In fact, if markings of two colors arerequired, one of such pieces of chalk might wear faster than the otherso that a single colored mark results, in which case the bobbin isincorrectly classified and the particular piece of fabric rendereduseless. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to reduce thecost of marking the bobbins by providing an automatic machine for use inassociation with each Winder, which may receive the bobbins from thewinder and apply one or more identifying marks thereto automatically asthey leave the winder. The marks produced by carrying out this inventionare uniform, continuous and strong, and even though marks of more thanone color areapplied, these marks are equally applied and can bedepended upon to properly identify the yarn on the bobbin.

Another object resides in insuring a positive transfer and ejection ofthe bobbin from the machine, without requiring excessive frictionaldriving pressure against the bobbin during the marking.

A further object of the invention is to apply a plurality of colors to abobbin as it leaves a bobbin winder.

A further object resides in insuring that the 2 bobbins will not bedamaged if a jam occurs, which is accomplished by having the transfermeans for the bobbin mounted on a pivot arm that is free to be lifted bythe bobbin in case of a jam or a misalignment of the bobbin in the machine.

These and other objects will be apparent as the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment of my invention proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my bobbin marker with the arm in itsraised position for clarity;

.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the other side of the machine withcertain parts. broken away for clarity;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1 except that the machine isin operative position with the bobbin in place and part of the upper armassembly is broken away for clarity;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the positive ejectingaction as the bobbin leaves the machine.

Referring to the drawings, the bed indicated generally at it carriesmounting strips or angle irons I l for supporting the machine, suchstructure forming no part of the present invention and being adapted tothe Winder at hand. The bobbin marker proper includes several majorassemblies, namely, a frame assembly F; a marker assembly M (whichincludes a chalk pot and marking wheels) a transfer support arm assemblyA; and a transfer wheel T; together with suitable gearing to drive theparts. When used with certain winding machines, I may provide a beltconveyor assembly C for carrying the bobbins to the marker, but suchconveyor forms no part of the present invention and gravity feed or anyother kind of feed may be employed as required.

The frame assembly F includes a pair of laterally spaced side plates [2,the plates being spaced apart to receive the bob-bins as they passthrough the machine. Bearing pad [3 is provided as shown for fitting amain drive shaft Hi, which shaft is driven by the driving motor or othersource of power in any convenient manner (not illustrated) Pivotallymounted on the main drive shaft [4 is the transfer support arm assemblyA which likewise has a pair of spaced side walls It integrally joined bya cross piece I? and at one end with depending flanges 18 at the otherend for mounting on the shaft l4. At the exit end of the arm A,depending ears l9 receive the transfer Wheel support shaft 20. lhe drivegear 2| for the transfer wheel T is mounted on shaft 28 by a set screwor any other suitable arrangement, the parts being maintained inassembled relation by means of flange 22 at one end of the shaft andcollar 23 attached to the other end. The transfer wheel T is preferablymade of wood or similar nonmetallic materials and its periphery isgrooved as shown to increase the transfer action on the bobbin or theperiphery may include grooved rubber strips or the like. The wheel ispressed over a bushing having splines or knurls 3! to provide driving,and the bushing is clamped to the shaft 20 b a set screw or any suitablefastener. A pair of driving sprockets l5 and iEa are keyed to the maindrive shaft Hi. Sprocket I5 is geared to transfer drive sprocket 2! by aroller chain 25. In this manner transfer wheel T may always be drivenregardless of the osition of the arm assembly A.

An adjustable support screw is mounted on the arm assembly A and whenthe arm is in its operating position as shown in Fig. 3 the screw restsupon the frame assembly F and limits the downward motion of the arm.With this construction the maximum pressure exerted by the transfer armon the bobbin may be controlled.

The bobbin marker assembly M is mounted on two pairs of depending ears3t and 3411, the ears being integral with the frame assembly F. Themounting is effected by means of a pair of pins passing throughapertures in the marking assembly Walls and in said pairs of ears. Thechalk ,pot has a pair of side walls 46 which make engagement with thelower wall of the frame F and I prefer that there be an intermediatewall ll so that two essentially separate chalk reservoirs are formed,whereby two colors may be applied to the bobbin. A pair of bobbinmarking wheels l l are mountedfor rotation upon the marking drive shaft35 in any suitable manner. The marking wheels include flexible markingdiscs 35 made of sponge rubber or the like which pass through the chalkand bear against the bobbin to apply the chalk marks thereto. Theflexible discs 46 may be backed up by a fiber washer if and retained byclamping ring 48 and a series of screws 49. In order to agitate thechalk residing in the reservoirs I prefer that the bobbin marking wheelbe spoked and agitating flanges 50 and 51 may be formed thereon whichstir up and prevent packing of the chalk as the wheels rotate. Likewise,screws 59 may project from the wheels to assist in the agitation. If thechalk employed is powdered, packing is thus prevented, and if it isliquid, settling is eliminated. A brush 52 may be employed to removeexcess chalk from the marking wheels.

A chalk composition suitable for application in powdered or liquid formis described in U. S. patent to Robinson, No. 2,398,559 which disclosesa solid chalk composition for this purpose.

In order that the marking wheels may be driven, a driven gear 6E3 isfastened to the shaft 45 and a driving sprocket Si is loosely mounted ona stub shaft 62 set in th frame assembly F. A driving spur gear 63 isfastened by means of fastening screws Gil to the sprocket 6i and drivesthe aforesaid spur gear 5 3. As seen in Fig. 2, sprocket 6! is driven byroller chain 65 which passes over sprocket 15a, the other of the twomain drive sprockets.

The conveyor assembly C, which may be employed in connection with saidwinding machines, includes a pillow block "Hi carrying pulley shaft ll 4upon which conveyor pulley 12 is mounted. The pulley is grooved as at I3to carry the conveyor belt it which is driven by a similar pulleydisposed elsewhere to conduct the bobbins from the winder to the markingmachine.

In operation, as seen in Fig. 3, as the bobbins are carried into themachine by the conveyor belt 14, the forward portion of the bobbinspasses between marking wheels and under the transfer wheel whichcontinues to propel the bobbins through the machine. The gearing is suchthat the peripheral speeds of the two wheels are the same and thefrictional engagement of the bobbins with the rubber discs 41; on themarking wheels and with the grooved periphery of the transfer wheel T,causes a positive advancement of the bobbins without damag to thethreads wound thereon. As the bobbins pass through the machine a pair ofparallel chalk lines is applied thereto without damage to the bobbinsand with great rapidity. As the bobbins leave the machine, due to thedivergence of the wheels engaging them there would ordinarily be a lossof driving force, but transfer wheel T is notched as at 32 so that ashoulder is formed to positively engage an abutting portion of thebobbin and eject it positively from the marking machine (this operationbeing illustrated in Fig. 5). The circumference of the transfer wheelapproximates the length of the bobbin so that the notch is always inposition. Although I have shown the shoulder engaging an end portion ofthe bobbin, it is to be understood that it ma engage any abutmentportion on the bobbin or either side of a coll ar 9 thereon depending onthe design of the bobbin and the way in which it enters the machine.With this construction, a series of bobbins presented end to end willremain in synchronism with the notched transfer wheel. The conveyor belti4 is obviously adapted to present bobbins end to end to the transferWheel.

I contemplate that various modifications may be made Without departingfrom the spirit of my invention, the essence of which is provision of amachine that will rapidly apply chalk marks or the like to the woundbobbins without damage thereto and which will positively eject the sameso that there can be no jamming within the machine. It will beunderstood that if there is jamming the arm assembly A may rise andprevent damage to the bobbins and also facilitate clearing the machine.It will be further understood by those skilled in the art that althoughI have illustrated one form of gearing suitable for purposes intended, Ihave done so only by wa of illustrating the preferred embodiment and theselection of suitable gearing arrangements may be varied in accordancewith the principles of machine design practice. Likewise, theconstruction details of the transfer wheels and marking wheels may bevaried so long as the essential features of marking and transferring thebobbins without damage are maintained without departing from the essenceof the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. Mechanism for applying identifying marking to wound bobbinscomprising a frame, a reservoir for marking material, bobbin markingmeans rotatably mounted in said frame and having a portion thereofextending into said reservoir and another portion arranged to be abovethe level of the marking material, a rotatably mounted generallycircular bobbin transfer wheel for frictionally engaging said bobbin andcarrying it over said portion of the marking means disposed above thelevel of the marking material, drive means for said transfer wheel,sa'id transfer wheel being relatively deeply notched to provide spacedgenerally radial walls one of which serves as shoulder means forengaging an end portion of the bobbin to positively eject the same fromthe mechanism, said transfer wheel being generally circular between saidradial notch walls and of a circumferential extent substantially equalto the length of the bobbin.

2. Mechanism for applying identifying marking to wound bobbinscomprising a frame, a reservoir for the marking material, bobbin mark-,-ing means rotatably mounted in said frame and having a portion thereofextending into said reservoir and another portion arranged to be abovethe level of the marking material, a rotatably mounted generallycircular bobbin transfer wheel for frictionally engaging said bobbin andcarrying it over said portion of the marking means disposed above thelevel of the marking material, drive means for said transfer wheel, saidtransfer wheel being relatively deeply notched to provide spaced radialwalls one of which serves as shoulder means for engaging an end portionof the bobbin to positively eject the same from the mechanism, thecircumferential extent of the portion of said transfer wheel extendingbetween said radial notch walls being generally circular andsubstantially equal to the length of the bobbin, and tooth means on thegenerally circular circumference of said transfer wheel to engage thebobbin and maintain synchronism between the bobbins and the notch in thewheel.

3. Mechanism for applying identifying marking to wound bobbinscomprising a frame, a reservoir for the marking material, bobbin markingwheel rotatably mounted in said frame and, having a portion thereofextending into said reservoir and another portion arranged to be abovethe level of the marking material, a rotatably mounted bobbin transferwheel for frictionally engaging said bobbin and carrying it over saidportion of the marking wheel disposed above the level of the markingmaterial, said transfer wheel being relatively deeply notched to provideshoulder means for engaging an end portion of the bobbin to positivelyeject the same from the mechanism, said transfer wheel having asubstantially circular portion of a circumferential extent substantiallyequal to the length of the bobbin, tooth means on said transfer wheel toengage the bobbin and maintain synchronism between the bobbins and thenotch in the wheel, circumferential resilient cushioning means on saidmarking wheel to apply the marking material and assist in driving thebobbin, and means to drive said wheels in opposite directions.

4. Mechanism for applying identifying marking to wound bobbinscomprising a frame, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, idlergear means rotatably mounted in said frame, gearing between said driveshaft and idler gear means, a reservoir for the marking material, abobbin marking wheel having a shaft rotatably mounted in said reservoirwith a portion of said Wheel extending into said reservoir and anotherportion thereof arranged to be above the level of the marking material,a gear on said marking wheel shaft, means for detachably mounting saidreservoir on said frame with said marking wheel gear and idler gearmeans in peripheral driving engagement. a bobbin trans fer wheelrotatably mounted on said frame and positionable above the axis of saidbobbin marking wheel for frictionally engaging a bobbin and carrying italong that portion of the marking wheel disposed above the level of themarking material, and gearing between said drive shaft and bobbintransfer wheel to rotate the latter, said reservoir mountin means beingarranged so that the reservoir, bobbin marker, and marking wheel gearcan be detached from the frame for service without disturbing the restof the gearing.

5. Mechanism for applying identifying marking to wound bobbinscomprising a frame, a drive shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, idlergear means rotatably mounted in said frame, gearing between said driveshaft and idler gear means, a reservoir for the marking material, abobbin marking wheel having a shaft rotatably mounted in said reservoirwith a portion of said wheel extending into said reservoir and anotherportion thereof arranged to be above the level of the marking material,a gear on said marking wheel shaft, means for detachably mounting saidreservoir on said frame with said marking wheel gear and idler gearmeans in peripheral driving engagement, an arm pivoted about the axis ofsaid drive shaft, a bobbin transfer wheel rotatably mounted in said armand positionable above the axis of said bobbin marking wheel forfrictionaly engaging a bobbin and carrying it along that portion of themarking wheel disposed above the level of the marking material, andgearing between said drive shaft and bobbin transfer wheel to rotate thelatter, said reservoir mounting means being arranged so that thereservoir, bobbin marker, and marking wheel gear can be detached fromthe frame for service without disturbing the rest of the gearing.

6. Mechanism for applying identifying marking to wound bobbinscomprising a frame, a reservoir for the marking material removablymounted on said frame, a bobbin marker wheel rotatably mounted in saidreservoir and having a portion thereof extending into said reservoir andanother portion arranged to be above the level of the markin material,said bobbin marker wheel having circumferential means for engaging andmarking the bobbin, a drive shaft rotatable in said frame, an armpivoted about the axis of said drive shaft and being unrestrained forupward motion, a bobbin transfer wheel rotatable in said arm anddisposed above said marker wheel, and driving means between said driveshaft and each of said wheels, said transfer wheel engaging a bobbin andcarrying it over and against the portion of said marking Wheel that isdisposed above the level of the marking material.

JOHN R. ANDREWS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file oi.this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 290,329 Hoifmann Dec. 18, 1883609,402 Belknap Aug. 23, 1898 1,810,223 Peterson June 16, 1931 1,919,386Steele July 25, 1933 2,238,695 Hallman Apr. 15, 1941 2,404,462 SchlumsJuly 23, 1946

